Variable-rate meter.



C. I. HALL.

VARIABLE RATE METER APPUCATION FILED NOV. 13.1911.

1,178,1 52. I Patented Apr. 4, 1916.

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CHESTER I. HALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CHICAGO ELECTRIC METER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

VARIABLE-RATE METER.

License.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4t, 1916..

Application filed November 13, 1911. Serial No. 659,882.

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER I. HALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in-the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Variable-Rate Meters, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had ,to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification.

. My invention relates to an improved construction of variable rate meters by which a consumer of electricity may be charged at one rate for a given range of consumption per unit of time, and at another rate when the consumption exceeds the predetermined amount in the same time.

4 By my invention I provide means associated with the pressure circuit of the meter so that for different rates of consumption the E. M. F. applied to the pressure circuit is automatically varied. In this way I am able to secure different rates of operation of the meter for different ranges of consumption and this secures the same result as though separate account were kept of the different rangesof consumption and diflerent prices charged for each range, since the entire consumption registered by my variable rate meter may be charged for at a uniform rate.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of A the apparatus and circuit connections employed in carrying out my invention; Fig. 2 shows in a diagrammatic view a modified arrangement of the switching mechanism for changing the rate of operation of the meter.

In the drawing illustrating'my invention I have shown a meter of standard construction at 1 in which the moving element 2 has coiiperating with it a series winding 3 and a pressure winding 4, the particular type of meter'shown being that known in the art as an induction meter. The windings 3and 4 are connected together by wire 5 which in turn is connected with the terminal 6 of the meter, while the other terminal of the pressure w1n d1ng 4 is connected through the main resistance 7 with the terminal 8 of the meter.

0 In order that my invention may be read- 11y applled to meters already in use,I preferably arrange the attachment in a separate caslng 11 provided with terminals 12, 13,14 and 15.- The terminal 12 is connected with the terminal 9 of the meter by wires 16 and 17 between which the load is connected. The terminal 13 is connected by wire 18 with the terminal 6 of the meter and the wire 18 in turn is connected by wire 19 with one of the main feeders 20. The other main feeder 21 is connected by wire 22 with the terminal 15 of the controlling attachment. Within the casing 11 a wire 23 connects the terminal 12 with one terminal of the solenoid 24, the other terminal of which is connected by wire 25 with the terminal 15 of the controlling mechanism. The solenoid 24 is provided with aplunger 26 connected with a switch 27, the pivotal point of which is connected with the terminal 14 of the controlling mechanism. The switch 27 is provided with a back contact 28 connected by wire 29 with the wire 25. There is also located in the casing 11 a pressure transformer 30 having a primary winding 31 and a secondary winding 32 which are connected together at one end and by means of the wire 33, this common connection is connected with the terminal 13. The other terminal of the primary winding 31 is connected by wire 34 with the wire 25. The secondary winding 32 has a plurality of jacks 35 connected with taps taken from different points of the winding and a plug 36 is provided which is adapted nections described, it will be seen that the switch 27 normally connects the pressure circuit of the meter, includingthe pressure winding 4: and the mainresi'stance 7, across the main feeders 20 and 21, which supply an electromotive force of proper amount to cause the element 2 to rotate at a normal desired rate; When the load in circuit with the wires 16 and lTis increased to the permissible limit for the installation, the core or plunger 26 is moved from its back contact 28 into engagement with its front contact 38, and thus the pressure circuit above referredto is interrupted and the pressure winding 4 and resistance 7 are connected with the terminals of the secondary winding 32 of the transformer 30. The transformer 30 may be standard in construction and provided with such a number of taps as to give any desired potential upon the terminals of the pressure circuit of the meter for its abnormal working condition and in this way, the rate of rotation of the moving element 2 may be caused to be greater or less if desired than its normal rate, depending upon the particular conditions of operation. It will be understood that the plug 36 is usually given some particular adjustment when the controlling mechanism-is attached to the meter by inserting the plug in a proper one of the jacks 35, and that after this adjustment has been made, the plug 36 is left in such position.

As shown in Fig. 2, the switch 27 may carry contact mechanisms for interrupting the circuit through the primary winding 31" when the switch is in normal POSItlOIL against its back contact 28, said primary circuit being closed when the switch 27 is moved to its operated position against the action of the spring 39 by the plunger 26*- of the solenoid. In this modification the wire 3e"- extends from the wire 25 to the contact 42, and the right-hand terminal of the primary winding 31 of the transformer is connected by the wire 41 with the contact 43. These contacts are disposed so as to be engaged by the insulated contact plate 44 carried by the switch 27 when the switch is moved by the plunger 26 into'engagement with the contact 38. In this way the transformer is entirely removed from the circuit connections when the current flowing in the load circuit is below a predetermined maximum. Thus it will be understood that I may secure the results described by various equivalent circuit arrangements and that awaits while the primary winding 31 is shown in Fig. 1 as permanently connected to the main line conductors 20 and 21, that it may be disconnected when not in use by means of extra contacts controlled by the switch 27 as indicated in Fig. 2, if desired.

What I claim is;

1.- In a variable rate meter, the combination of a pressure circuit normally connected to the line, a work circuit, a pressure transformer, a solenoid in the work circuit, and switching mechanism controlled by the solenoid for switching the terminals of the pressure circuit from the line to the secondary winding of the transformer.

2. In a variable rate meter, a work circuit, a pressure circuit, a pressure transformer, and mechanism controlled by the current traversing said work circuit for automatically connecting the pressure clrcuit either directly to the line or with the secondary winding of said transformer.

3. In a variable rate meter, a work circuit, a pressure circuit, and means comprising a transformer and switching mechanism controlled by the current tr'aversing the work circuit for varying the E. M. F. applied to the pressure circuit.

4. In a,variable' rate meter, a work circuit, a pressure circuit, a transformer ar-' ranged to have its secondary operativcly connected with the pressure circuit and so supply E. M. F. to said pressure circuit, and;-

mechanism automatically actuated when the load exceeds a predetermined maximum operable to so connect the transformer secondary with the pressure circuit.

pressure circuit arranged to receive from a line, transformer means arranged and adapted when connected with the pressure circuit to apply to said pressure circuit E. M. F. of diflerent value than theE. M. F. normally applied to said pressure circuit, and means automatically operable to con- 5. A variable rate meter comprisin a nest the transformer means with the pressure circuit when the load current varies beyond a certain predetermined limit.

6. In a variable rate meter, a work circuit, a pressure circuit, a pressure trans former, mechanism for connecting the pressure circuit either directly to the line or with the secondary winding of said trans former, and means automatically operable to actuate said connecting mechanism when the load current varies beyond a certain predetermined limit.

7. In a variable rate meter, 9. workcircuit, a pressure circuit, a pressure transformer, and mechanism for automatically connecting the pressure circuit either directly with the i ondary.

8. A. variable rate metering mechanism comprising in combination a pressure cirne or with the transformer seccuit, a load circuit, and means the operation In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe of which is automatically controlled by the my name this 12th day of November, A. D. load current adapted to supply an induced 1911.

E. M. F. to said pressure circmt to vary the CHESTER I. HALL. 5 rate of operation of the meter when the con- Witnesses:

sumption of energy varies beyond predeter- ALBERT C. BELL,

mined limits. GUSTAV R. LEH. 

